Religion: Tolstoy to Shaw

The smart retort to, "Do you want a fight?" is still, of course, "Sir, I
am a Tolstoyan!"

Last week, however, it was revealed at London that Count Leo Tolstoy
(1828-1910), although an apostle of religious humility and the other
cheek, once made a sharp retort to Bernard Shaw. The occasion was the
submission by Mr. Shaw of several of his works for criticism to the
Count. Tolstoy's letter in reply was released, in London, by erudite
Mr. Aylmer Maude, now collecting and translating Tolstoyana.

The letter, in part: ". . . Dear Mr.
Shaw, life is a great and serious affair. ....